


Sometimes You Think You Can Save Them

by SpicyGoddess



Category: Fallout: New Vegas
Genre: M/M, Non-Graphic Violence, Rescue Missions, Slavery, courier is not a good person
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-15
Updated: 2020-01-15
Packaged: 2021-02-27 07:28:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,109
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22263364
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpicyGoddess/pseuds/SpicyGoddess
Summary: “I don’t give a damn about your plans to get him out once you had gotten something in return. We are getting him out of there now or I’m putting the third and final bullet in your brain.”Six kept both of their hands to the side of their head as they let out a shaky sigh. “Alright, we will head out first thing in the morning.”Boone damn near snarled “No. We head out right now. Get up.” Six felt the rifle barrel push between their shoulders as they stood.
Relationships: Craig Boone/Arcade Gannon
Kudos: 28





	Sometimes You Think You Can Save Them

The shift in noise within the Lucky 38 was notable, even though the only change within the building was the absence of one member of their little group of adventurers. Boone had a knack for picking up on the habits of everyone, and while people arrived and left at random, the absences had always bugged him. 

While normally he was mildly annoyed by the slight shuffle step and the foot tapping that occured when all others were still there was a new development that annoyed him more. The arrival of the courier without the companion he had taken with him. When asked the courier had written it off saying that the Followers had needed the doctor further north and that he would likely be back in two months time. Boone had no reason to be suspicious, but ever since Novak, the coming and going of people on claims of others had rubbed him wrong. 

As much as he enjoyed Six’s company and trusted him the same amount, if not more than Manny while they were enlisted, he couldn’t help the lingering doubts in his mind. 

He went to bed the night of Six’s return, trying to ignore the uneasiness that had settled over him. 

He woke up around two in the morning to the darkness of his room, a welcome relief after a flash of brown hair, determined eyes, and then red. Quietly, he slipped on a pair of shoes, grabbed the 9 mm that he had kept hidden from the others and made his way to the elevator. 

He stepped into the hall, and was greeted by the light from the kitchen, and wasn’t entirely surprised by what he saw. Arcade had settled himself on the counter, flipping through a book, with a cup of something next to him. 

Boone guessed that whatever it was had long since grown cold as Arcade didn’t acknowledge his entrance to the room. Too absorbed in whatever it was he was reading. That was fine by Boone, he prefered not being interrogated for being awake at an odd hour. 

He made his way into the kitchen, and began pulling what he needed from the cabinets. It wasn't until he began using the sink that Arcade looked up at him. He gave a simple nod as a greeting and went back to his book. It wasn't until Boone began mixing the coffee powder into his mug that he realized the doctor's eyes weren’t moving through the page. He was always good at noticing things, but the actions of others wasn't his business. 

Arcade was first to speak. “Might want to try something without caffeine if you’re having a tough time sleeping.” 

Boone shrugged “Who says I am trying to sleep?”

Arcade turned the page that Boone was completely aware he had not been reading. “No one, but it might help you spot things better if you were well rested.”  
Boone didn’t particularly like that he had a point, he briefly considered telling Arcade that it might help him understand the book if he had actually chose to read it, but he elected to grunt instead. 

He drained his cup then moved to the hall, once he reached the elevator, he heard the Follower repeat words similar to the ones he heard every night before his shift in the dinosaur, “Be back a little after sunrise. It’s your unofficial curfew.” 

He made his way out of the strip, ignoring the securitrons, and continued on to the north end of Freeside, where the Old Mormon Fort stood. Despite the hour, the guards let him in without question and he made his way to where Julie slept. He paused then knocked on the wood around the frame of her door, realizing she probably wouldn't want to wake to the sight of him looming over her.

Lucky for him, after a few seconds of silence, he heard some grumbling then the sound of sheets shifting. He entered a moment later, as she was still blinking sleep from her eyes.

“Julie I need to ask you something.” he said voice flat as ever, despite various situations running through his head. He wasn’t the type to worry about possibilities but something seemed off. Still he hoped the Julie would tell him the same thing as Six had. 

“Must be pretty important to get me out of bed at,” she glanced around the room then squinted “3:07 in the morning.” 

Boone hummed in agreement, “I need you to tell me if Arcade got an assignment to head somewhere north of here.”

Julie seemed to think about it. “We aren't usually supposed to tell others where doctors come and go, too much of a risk of them getting robbed, or killed, or kidnapped, or any number of other things. But...no, he hasn’t, at least not from me. I’ve never sent him outside of the Mojave, and to be honest with you I haven’t been telling him to go anywhere since he took off with you and that courier. Why do you ask anyway?”

Boone was silent, weighing the options of telling her, but decided the less others new about why he was going around asking questions the better. Besides, there was no point in worrying her, she had enough on her plate already. “A feeling. Thank you for your time,” he mumbled before quickly leaving the tent, leaving a confused Julie staring at where he once was. She grumbled and went back to bed.

He returned back to the Lucky 38 around 4, and upon arriving back to the floor everyone had taken up residence on he immediately belined it to his room, only to be stopped by a voice.

“Boone! Didn’t realize you were up,” Came the raspy voice of the courier from the kitchen, “would of made you some food if I had known.”

Boone realized that he had little chance of making it back to his room without conversing. “Good that you didn't. Didn't know when I would get back.” 

The courier hummed, “Noticed you came from the elevator, where’d you go?” the question sounded genuine, as if the Six had no reason to be worried about his friends whereabouts. If Boone hadn’t talked to Julie he would have been relieved. 

“For a walk,” Boone simply replied, not fully trusting his friend at the moment, “couldn’t sleep.” 

“Here here,” the courier replied, before rummaging through the cabinets “was thinking of going to explore a vault today, ‘s supposed to have a lot of rads so I was gonna head out alone. Think y’all can handle being alone for a few days without burnin’ down the building?”

“Dunno. Guess you’ll have to find out.”

The courier snorted, “Suppose I will.” They picked some things out of the cabinet then shoved them into a bag on the counter and then swinging it onto their shoulder before walking out of the kitchen to where Boone stood. They grabbed the others shoulder, and looked him in the eye before saying “stay safe.” the hand dropped as quickly as it had come as Six continued their walked to the elevator, and stepped in.

Boone didn’t have time to say anything in return, not that he would have said anything, his mind was already analysing their conversation, searching for anything that had been odd. He noted the vault with radiation, assuming it to be 34. That gave him an area to avoid if he were to go around looking for where the doctor had truly went. That is, if Six were telling the truth about his whereabouts. He kept in mind that the courier could have been lying, just as he had about Arcade heading north. 

He didn’t yet have a plan on where to look, but he did have a very real hunger that convinced him to start making food for himself and the others for when they woke.

“We really should start a club,” a voice sounded from behind him as he waited for the pan to heat up. 

Despite hearing the slight shuffle in the others steps as he approached, Boone nearly jumped. He had thought they had a mutual agreement to keep conversation to a minimum, but he supposed he was wrong. 

“Why’s that?” He grunted without looking at the other, who was now starting to dig through the cabinets to find something. 

Arcade only replied after pulling out three things. “I’m not sure what we’d name it yet, but I’m sure we could come up with something.” he said, completely ignoring Boone’s question. 

Silence reigned for a few minutes as Boone decided to just ignore the new presence in the kitchen with him, until Arcade spoke again. 

“Up kind of late today huh? It’s almost dawn.”

Boone didn’t know why he replied, “Fell asleep late.”

Arcade hummed, “Early night for me. Wish I had more of those.” 

Boone grunted in agreement, before shifting topics before this conversation had the potential to wander where he didnt want it to go, “What are you making?”

“Pancakes. We’re missing a few ingredients though.” A pause of consideration, “However, with the two of us, I think we just might be able to pull off something acceptable.”

Boone was pleased to say that they did, and he wasn't ashamed to reuse the recipe on his own. 

At breakfast, he announced that he was going hunting, without specifications on where. He packed his bag, slung his rifle over his shoulder and began a treck out into the wasteland. He took rest that night at Bitter Springs, and dropped off a few medical supplies to the doctor there.

He remembered walking into this camp alongside another doctor, when the courier sent them to help out. He said he didn’t have the time, but he trusted the two of them to handle it. And they did, though the task they had been given was mostly completed by Arcade. Boone had just gone along as protection, and because ‘more exposure might help you come to terms with what happened’ as the courier put it.

He hadn’t seen how it would. What’s done was done, and he had already come to terms with that, and it’s consequences. 

Arcade had come to understand that too, as he looked across the camp without disgusted for the past or pity for what it had caused. Instead he had determination, something Boone could appreciate. 

Arcade had stood tall and confident, but never looming or condescending, as he gave the other doctor the information he needed to further assist the community. 

Arcade had even requested that they stay longer than they had planned, to help those that they could recover from injuries.

Boone had agreed to, even though he was itching to leave. 

That night, around the fire Arcade had spoken, something Boone had come to accept, “You don’t have to keep carrying the weight of what happened with you, you know.”

Boone looked at the flames in silence.

“Six told me that you think you’re being punished for your past. Thing is, sometimes you just get dealt a bad hand sometimes.” 

Boone had considered that, but it was easier to carry his burden if he thought he was paying for it somehow.

“Atoning is hard, but some manage it without realizing. I hope you can realize it someday.” With that, the doctor stood, and headed to the tent they had borrowed without another word. Boone headed to the ridge that ran along the lake.

“Scouting again?” the doctor at the camp asked when he dropped off a few doctor bags.

“Yeah.” he said simply.

“Person who went up last week said they weren’t doing anything out of the usual. Things change quickly in war though. You’ll let us know what you see?”

“Always,” he promised.

The NCR outlook had a good view of the fort, but Boone had found that by walking along a narrow out cropping that angled a little upwards, one could find a better view about 500 feet out where a small notch had been carved into the mountainside. It was here that he set up to observe. He placed his rifle beside him, knowing that the scope would be of little use unless he were focusing on a single target, and exchanged them for a pair of binoculars from his backpack.

He checked the area at the base of the hill first. While a good chunk of the sea of tents had been cut off by the wall constructed around the fort, he had found early on that the actions of the masses gave away the most valuable of information. If they planned on moving soon, he knew this would be the area that would tell him. 

He saw the usual activities, legionaries training, and slaves running through the camp, carrying who knows what. He always tried his best to ignore them, always seeing glimpses of curled brown hair, before it disappeared into a sea of red. Today however, he noticed, more than he ever had before, which unsettled him. He couldn’t tell what they were doing, but he made a note of it so he could let those in charge at Bitter Springs know that something had the camp more active than usual. His gaze traveled up to the top of the fort, hoping perhaps more information could be found there. 

That's when he realized things were truly off. Many legionnaires stood directly outside of the tent at the center of the hill. Some of the men were even pacing at the entrance as if they were waiting for something. As if they were nervous about something. Boone’s eyes narrowed, and he maneuvered himself from a sitting position to laying on his stomach, with one leg kicked out, and both eyes through the magnification of his binoculars. He waited, until the sun shifted to cast long shadows across the Mojave, and his body began to ache, but he knew that something important was happening. He was willing to wait until he knew.

He felt his whole body tense up when he saw the tent flap shift, then pull open as a blonde figure in a white coat step out. He felt a shock of burning anger run through him as he recognized that exact figure, but the same anger quickly turned cold when the other was guided away from the tent and the large red X painted across the back of his coat was revealed to Boone. 

He realized then that Arcades shoulders were slumped in defeat, a prominent difference to the last time he looked at a loved one wearing legion crimson against their will. Carla had stood straight and tall, even in the face of certain death, defiance in her eyes until the end. The doctor with blood on his clothes and a drag in his step, looked smaller than she ever did. 

Boone knew he had to get him out, but how he had know idea. The distance was too far for him to even hope at having a shot, and truth be told, he didn’t want this to end the same way it had before. He knew he had to do something else.

He glanced again at the camp, as Arcade was guided into another tent and out of sight and made note of one final thing. All those in the camp looked, relieved, and almost giddy with joy, as if something great had occurred. He felt a chill run down his spine, before taking away his binoculars, shoving them in a bag, and nearly running back to Bitter Springs.

He made quick work of his report, before making his way into the night, knowing exactly where he was heading.

By noon he had made it to Forlorn Hope, and had taken one of the empty beds for himself, exhausted from the previous night of sprinting almost clean across the Mojave. He’d need the sleep for what he was about to do, as exhaustion would completely ruin his plans. 

Boone stepped into the medical tent in the evening with a few water bottles in hand. 

Arcade and doctor Richards were in quiet discussion which was abruptly cut short as they realized they had a visitor. Boone kind of wished they would continue, but it gave him the opening to make his delivery. 

“Purified water, where do you want it?” He asked simply.

Doctor Richards indicated to a side table, and only once Boone had set it down, did he clap a hand on the snipers shoulder. “Good work today. These lads wouldn’t be here without your help.” 

Boone shifted a little, uncomfortable under the praise, “Should be thanking the courier. Not me.”

Before Richards could say anything more Arcade stepped in, “we ought to get some of this water to our patients. Being out in the sun hardly did them any favors.” 

Boone gave him a short nod of thanks for the distraction as he left the tent.

He woke up while the sun was low in the sky, casting long shadows across the red landscape. He wasted little time in trekking the short distance to the nearby vault. He walked around the area upon arrival, establishing a clear mental map of the area, before finding a campground, situated near the base of the hill. Even from a distance he recognized some of the stuff set around the campfire ring. The courier hadn’t lied about where he was heading, this much Boone was grateful for. It made his life easier.

He settled himself above the campground, behind a rock that would cover him from view and waited.

The courier exited the vault when the moon was high in the sky, and surveyed the area, Boone could tell by the way their head turned slightly in each direction as they crossed the small expanse to his camp. Boone sat still watching as the courier quickly ate pre war food from a can they had brought along, then made their way to a flat patch of ground that had been cleared of small rocks, took off their ranger coat, situated it over their body like a blanket, and fell asleep.

Boone waited for nearly an hour after that, before slowly creeping his way out of his hiding spot and to the ground where the courier slept. He lifted his rifle off his back, placing the butt against his shoulder, barrel pointed directly at the courier.

Once his hold was steady, he simply hissed “Get up.” 

Six’s eyes opened almost instantly and looked immediately to Boone, hand reaching down to where Boone knew their gun was. He silently cursed himself for not taking it, but considering how the courier slept, he knew he likely wouldn’t have been able to grab it anyway.

“No.” he said, voice hard, “hands up, I won’t have you trying any funny business with me.” 

Six raised both hands, eyes that were in alarm seconds before shifting into confusion, but before that could fully set in Boone swore he saw something else cross the others face. Guilt. 

Boone felt a surge of satisfaction. 

“Didn’t think anyone would notice did you?”

“I don’t know wh-” The courier tried to get a word in but was promptly cut off. 

“Bull shit. I saw him in that camp, the one you put him in.” Boone growled.

“Look, it’s-”

“It’s not what I think it is? That really what you want to tell me Six? Because it looks a hell of a lot like you sold Arcade to the legion.” 

“I had a plan!” the courier suddenly shouted, “I had a plan okay? It was a temporary situation and I was going to get him back!”

Boone growled, indicating that this explanation wasn't satisfactory. 

Six continued anyway, “I just needed them to trust me, we need something from them. Then I was going to get ‘cade after, alright?”

Boone looked at the courier, rifle not faltering. “I don’t give a damn about your plans to get him out once you had gotten something in return. We are getting him out of there now or I’m putting the third and final bullet in your brain.”

Six kept both of their hands to the side of their head as they let out a shaky sigh. “Alright, we will head out first thing in the morning.”

Boone damn near snarled “No. We head out right now. Get up.” Six felt the rifle barrel push between their shoulders as they stood.

Boone grabbed Six’s pack as they left, and went through it, removing what weapons he could find. He tossed it to Six happy with what was left.

“I’ll give you your stuff back when we are at the fort. I don’t trust you with anything more than your pistol right now.”

“We're going to the fort?” Six asked, “I can go in alone and get him out, we don’t have to go.”

“No.” Boone growled, “Right now I don’t trust you as far as I can throw you. Right now, the only reason you’re alive is because I can’t storm the fort alone.”

Six’s step faltered, “That’s your plan? How do you know if we’ll even survive.”

“I don’t.” Boone admitted with a shrug, “But I’m willing to die for my friends. Wish the same could be said for you.”

Six was silent for the remainder of the trip.

Cottonwood Cove was simple to pass through with Six carrying Caesars mark, and with Boone accompanying them in disguise. Six insisted on leaving the town alone, despite Boones preference to eliminate all those they came across. Six reasoned that they were guaranteed not to be injured before reaching Caesars camp, and upon leaving they could simply sneak out or land elsewhere.

Boone unhappily agreed with the couriers plan.

The pair was silent through the ride up, the only exchange that occurred between them was Boone quietly returning Six’s weapons once the fort was in sight. 

Once they were nearly to the gate, Six glanced at the ferry man and then at Boone with a slightly raised eyebrow. Boone nodded. 

30 seconds later and the ferry man's body was in the lake, surrounded by red. Six took his position and guided the boat the rest of the way to the fort. They stepped off almost immediately upon landing, and was nearly at the gate before Boone even managed to step off the boat.

Six was first to enter the fort, followed by Boone who chose to stay behind and cover the courier to the best of his ability. It was an easy pattern to fall into despite the situation and Boone’s desire to take off the couriers head rather than that of those dressed in crimson. 

It wasn't until they reached the top of the hill at the center of camp that Six stopped, and put a hand out to indicate that Boone should as well. 

"When we enter they're gonna swarm us. Best we leave this gate open so we're not stuck between the tents. Hide behind something. I'll lead them out and you can shoot." 

Boone narrowed his eyes. "That better be what you do." 

The courier breathed deeply through their nose, "Boone. Right now I don't have any ulterior motives. I've lost any chance I had at using the legion, so you don't have to worry about me turning my back on you." 

"Bet that's what you told Arcade too when you brought him here." 

Six was silent a moment before speaking again, voice hard. "Just get in position," they said before shoving through the gates, leaving Boone to do as told rather than reply. 

To the couriers credit, they did exactly as they said they would and Boone was efficient in picking off enemies. But if he delayed a shot or two so some of the soldiers might land a strike on the courier, that was his business. 

Boone stepped out from his cover only when the courier gave the okay. 

"He's going to be in Caesar's tent. Hope you're ready to take on that son of a bitch." Six said simply, while nudging the side of a dead legionar, as if feeling for something. What that might be Boone didn't know

Boone grunted. "Wish it was under different circumstances," before taking the lead and stepping over their fallen enemies to reach Caesar's tent.

Six followed without a word. Halfway to the tent Boone stopped. 

"Give me one if you're handguns. Make sure it's fully loaded." 

"What?" Six asked, almost stumbled into the sniper in his haste to stop as well. 

"Arcade will need a weapon, they wouldn't have let him keep his and I know you have at least three handguns." 

Six raised an eyebrow before rifling through their bag. "He'll only have twelve shots. I can give it to him since you’ll be hanging back." 

Boone looked at them hard. 

"Right, still don't trust me. Here." they said handing over the gun. Boone took it, put the safety on and stuck it onto his belt. 

"Let's go."

Six hadn't expected to be swarmed upon the entrance to the tent, but they were lucky as Boone was able to shoot both mongrels that made to attack Six. 

From there he did his best to make his shots but he knew not all of them landed as well as they would have at a distance. He did however, notice a shock of blonde hair. 

Without thinking twice he shouted the doctor's name, tossed the gun, and hoped his friend had managed to get ahold of it. 

He didn't hear the shot, too focused on what was in front of him, but his success was confirmed as he noticed that a legionary towards the back of the group fell. He smiled grimly as he shot another guard which left a single man standing in front of them. 

Six pointed their gun at the other, and opened their mouth as though they were about to say something, but a shot rang out before he could. 

Arcade stood behind him, chest, neck and part of his face wet with blood.

A second shot then third rang out, as the doctor shot the bodies head twice more. 

He looked directly at Six, "Making sure. Unfortunate two isn't enough." 

He then looked at Boone, with the same cold look. "I take it that the road to the dock is clear?" 

"Yes. Cottonwood Cove is not, so I wouldn't leave just yet." 

Arcade nodded. "I'll see you there then." he said before walking out of the tent. 

The courier looked at the ground. "I don't think he needed all 12 shots." 

Boone didn't respond, instead he turned and left the tent as well. 

He met Arcade at the boat. 

"I'm sorry-" he began before being cut off by the doctor. 

"Don't be. I know you didn't choose for this to happen. Six however did, and that was their decision. Not yours." 

Boone wanted to argue but didn't. 

"Are you alright?" he asked instead. 

Arcade looked up at the fort. "Couple of bruised ribs, a sprain or minor fracture in my wrist from not too long ago." he smiled grimly "they don't take to kindly to back talk." Despite the situation he almost sounded thrilled about that. 

Boone snorted "Doubt they'd be able to keep you from it for long unless they took out your vocal cords." 

Arcade snorted, "I was the only one there with the experience for that. Caesar proved that by taking me in in the first place." he paused and Boone let him, sensing he had more to say. Arcade spoke up again a few beats of silence later. "He had a tumor. Caesar I mean, in his brain. Wouldn't have bothered healing it if I had known I would shoot him a day later." 

Boone grunted acknowledging what the other had said, but unsure of how to respond. He changed the topic. "What do you want to do about Six?" 

"Besides strangle them to death or make them try a new stimpak recipe? I don't know. Revenge isn't really something I like to partake in, even if it is well deserved." 

"We could leave them here. They're still not back yet." 

Arcade shook his head. "Wouldn't leave Six to them. That's too cruel. We can figure it out later."

Boone thought that they would be on equal ground if they left Six, but before he could speak his mind, they heard the gate groan loudly as Six opened it and stepped out.

The journey back down the Colorado was silent and quicker than that of the way up. They found a spot to land a few miles up from Cottonwood Cove. Upon landing Arcade wasted no time in standing and stepping off the boat. "Goodbye, courier," he said simply before beginning to walk up the dusty path. Boone took a long hard look at the courier before beginning to follow. Suddenly he stopped. "Six?" 

The sound of the couriers backpack being tossed on his back then "Yes?" 

Boone dropped his hand to his lower pocket, pulled out his 9mm turned and shot the courier in the leg. 

Six yelled, and Boone didn’t look back even as the courier cursed up a storm behind him, then eventually went silent as the distance between them grew. 

Further up the trail he met with Arcade who frowned at him. 

"That was not necessary." 

Boone shrugged. "Six sold you to the legion. They deserved more than a bullet in the leg." 

Arcade sighed. "An eye for an eye and the whole world goes blind." 

Boone shrugged, choosing not to respond. Personally he didn’t think a bullet to the leg was the equivalent of an eye.

Arcade sighed, as if knowing what the sniper was thinking. He decided to let the topic go. "Let's go. There's a follower outpost not far from here."

“Alright,” Boone agreed, following the doctor as he began the trek up the path then down the cracked road.

After a few miles Arcade stopped without warning. "Boone? Thank you. For getting me out, I mean. I don't think it would have happened without you." 

Boone flushed a little, but grumbled out a "Shouldn't be thanking me. Whole situation shouldn’t have happened in the first place." 

Arcade hummed "Just because things shouldn’t happen doesn’t mean they won’t.” He paused for a moment as if considering something, “For example, I shouldn’t have waited so long to do this," and with that Arcade gave the sniper a small kiss on the cheek before turning and continuing down the road. 

Boone froze for several seconds before trying to catch up to the doctor.

**Author's Note:**

> Lost a lot of steam towards the end but yeehaw.


End file.
